An Albuquerque teen is recovering from two gunshot wounds suffered in what police said was an armed robbery.

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Joseph Montoya, 17, shared his story exclusively with KOAT after he got out of the hospital Monday. His left arm is in a sling and he needs a crutch to walk after being shot in the wrist and hip.

"At first you don't feel it. You really don't feel it, but it takes a little while for you to start feeling the pain," Montoya said. "It burns, too, because of a hot bullet."

He said he leaves his house shortly after 6 a.m. each weekday to walk to Del Norte High School in time to have breakfast before class. On Monday morning, he saw a teen he described as looking younger than 17 walking the other direction on Morningside Drive.

Montoya said the other boy approached him, pulled out a gun and demanded he give up his stuff.

"I was pretty nervous and I kind of hesitated to give him my phone. I didn't want to, but afterwards I gave him my phone," Montoya said. "He said to just keep walking."

Montoya said the other teen walked away in the direction of his house. His mom also typically leaves shortly after 6 a.m., and the teen said he realized the mugger might be headed in her direction.

That's when he decided to do something.

"I ran after him, not for my phone, but just so (I could make him) run as far as possible past my home," Montoya said. "If he already mugged me, he would probably mug my mom for the same thing. It might be someone else. He might even shoot someone."

That someone ended up being Montoya. He said he began to run after the other boy, who turned around and fired four shots, hitting him twice.

Diane Russell heard those gunshots right in front of her house.

She said she ran from her bedroom to look out her living room window and saw a young man in dark clothing turn the corner toward Grisham Park and disappear from view.

"This has happened a lot in our neighborhood where some person will shoot off four or five gunshots at 2 a.m. or any time of the day or night," she said. "I went ahead and called the police, and I talked to a lady and she took my statement. While I was talking to her, she says, 'Oh no,' and I said, 'What do you mean oh no?'" Russell said. "Then she said, 'We just got another call in that there's been somebody shot,' and so I said, 'Oh no.'"

An Albuquerque police spokesperson said officers notified Del Norte High School staff of the situation.

Montoya said he's ready to get back to school.

"The first thing is to finish up the PARCC test," he said about the standardized assessment testing currently taking place.

Montoya said he doesn't regret the decision he made to chase after the teen who ended up shooting him. He said he'd rather get hurt than anyone else in his family.

He expects he will ride to school with a neighbor until he's ready to walk again. He does not intend to change his route.

"I can't stay in the past, and just keep thinking about these scars and wounds," Montoya said. "I'm just going to move on, move ahead."

Albuquerque police said anyone with information about the shooter should call (505) 242-COPS.